By IANS,
New Delhi : The Delhi government Wednesday said its global image had prompted it to ask the Delhi Electricity Regulatory Commission (DERC) to look into problems faced by the power distributing companies in the city.
The government May 4 asked the DERC not to announce reduced power tariff, saying that it should first look into the demands of the private power companies or discoms — BSES Yamuna, BSES Rajdhani and North Delhi Power Limited (NDPL).
“Reservation on part of the discoms to arrange additional power at high purchase power cost would have proved an obstacle in organising the Commonwealth Games in an efficient manner,” a government statement said.
“Concerned with its global image, the government had to resort to request the DERC to look into the grievances of discoms and address the issue of power purchases by giving suitable advice to the government,” it added.
The reply to Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP) question on the government’s stand on the issue said private companies have been asked to arrange additional power for ensuring uninterrupted power supply before and during the Commonwealth Games in October.
As far as the auditing of financial statement of the power companies was concerned, it was under the domain of the DERC, the government statement added.
“It is for the DERC to consider the case of tariff fixation in such a way to balance the long-term interest of all stakeholders in the important but complex power sector.”
Meanwhile, the BJP said it was not happy with the response and may approach Lt.Governor Tejendra Khanna June 15 to demand Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) inquiry into role of the Delhi government in not allowing power regulator to go for reduced power rates.
“The BJP has accelerated its movement for reducing the power tariff in the city and started meetings of its workers to accelerate the process. Through banners and pamphlets, the party wants to expose the loot by the power companies in connivance with the government,” the party’s city unit chief Vijendra Gupta told reporters.